


Not Forever, But For Now

by DragonMaster65 (firelord65)



Series: Fecky's Whumptober Oneshots [8]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Don't say goodbye, F/M, Implied Relationships, Post-Canon, Splitting Up Temporarily, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:20:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26905768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firelord65/pseuds/DragonMaster65
Summary: Parting ways after the war's end, Katara and Zuko make a plan for the future to make the pain easier to bear.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Fecky's Whumptober Oneshots [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950469
Kudos: 22
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Not Forever, But For Now

**Author's Note:**

> We are making some quick progress through October. Already over a week in? Seems fake! Here's another oneshot story for the Whumptober 2020 challenge.
> 
> Day 8: Where Did Everybody Go? - "Don't Say Goodbye" | Abandoned | Isolation

They stood together on a patio in the back garden of the Fire Nation palace. It was one of the few places where Appa could land without too much attention. After the coronation, everyone had _great_ interest in the Avatar. Even now in the early morning, Katara was certain it would only take a few minutes before a gaggle of Fire Nation scribes or servants in the palace would appear from the woodwork.

Still, she had asked Aang to stop before they began the long journey back South. Aang had seemed confused; they had spent the previous evening dining with Zuko for the formal farewell. Katara didn't explain - couldn't explain - why she needed this now. She had to wait on the patio for a long set of minutes while an attendant fetched Zuko. He arrived quickly, though, in a casual robe and mismatched sandals.

Once he appeared, Katara felt an inexplicable swell of emotion in her chest. She gripped her mother's necklace for strength. She always knew what she was doing before. It shouldn't be different now.

"Is everything alright? Did something delay you guys?" Zuko asked. His voice was miraculously not groggy from sleeplessness. Katara let her lip quirk in a smile. He did always say that he rose with the sun.

"No, nothing's wrong," Katara replied. Zuko's shoulders dropped as he visibly relaxed. "I just… I know that we sort of did all of this last night, but it didn't seem the same. In front of all those people, it was all so... formal. I asked Aang if we could drop in. I'm sorry for waking you."

Zuko shook his head. "There's nothing to apologize for. You are always welcome here," he said.

Katara's chest felt tight. Her fingers gripped the pendent on her necklace to keep from shaking. Her other hand was around her stomach. "I felt like I needed to say thank you again for everything, Zuko."

He stepped closer to take her hand into his. "You all would have managed without me. One way or the other," he insisted. It was too kind. Too understanding. Katara bit her lip, willing herself not to fall apart here and now. Spirits, why was this so hard? Why had she asked for this?

"And I also feel like I need to say sorry," Katara continued.

Zuko frowned. His thumb paused its soft, gentle caresses on the top of her hand. "Because you're leaving?" _With Aang_ hung in the air, unsaid but clear as a beacon to Katara. She managed a rough nod.

"He doesn't have anyone else," she choked out. Golden eyes held blue with understanding. Katara searched for anything more, anything that would confirm what she hoped was there between them.

Zuko's smile turned wistful. "He has immensely supportive friends. People who would drop everything in a heartbeat to be there for him. No matter where," he said.

"It won't be the same, though, if he was alone," Katara insisted. Her hand twisted tightly around one of his. "...Right?"

"...I'm not sure what you're asking Katara," Zuko said slowly. "You know Aang better than any of us."

Letting out a frustrated grunt, Katara shook her head. "I don't want to think like this, but I don't… want… to go. Not forever." The words slipped out drip by drip.

Zuko squeezed her hand firmly. His grip was warm and supportive. "Then you shouldn't go forever. Go for now. And then when you want to leave Aang for whatever makes you happiest, I'm sure he would understand," Zuko said firmly.

"But it's still a goodbye for now. I thought that I could handle it, but now that we're here. Now that we're packed up to go and it's just me and Aang and no one else, it feels like it's so final," Katara admitted. She turned to look at the Avatar, lounging happily atop Appa's head. He was giving them some privacy at least, his body positioned politely away from them. But he'd want to get going soon enough. Time was slipping away for this farewell.

Zuko hummed deep in his chest. "Hmmm," he intoned. "What if you set a date? A pause point, some time that you can reflect on what you want long-term."

Katara twisted back to look at him. He hadn't dropped their hands between them, his free hand tucked casually in his robe. There wasn't an ounce of hurry to the Fire Lord's stance. "Like in a year?" Katara suggested. Zuko shrugged.

"If that's what you need, then a year would work. That's a long time to help get Aang some more foundation under his feet."

Frowning, Katara considered her own selected date. "At the one year anniversary of the war's end," she said more firmly. "I'm sure there will be some kind of diplomatic excuse to pull everyone together. That might make me feel better, to see how everyone is doing."

Zuko stepped in closer and boldly pressed his forehead to hers. He didn't make any further move, just letting himself stand and breathe with her. Katara closed her eyes and lifted on her toes briefly to press back into him. Zuko murmured with a teasing tone, "If you want to check in on whether or not the Fire Lord has a girlfriend, I'm sure there would be better means than tricking him into going to a celebration."

Scoffing, Katara shook her head. But the tightness in her chest eased off. She could breathe more easily. "I'd expect a messenger hawk the moment that someone caught his eye. We have to make sure he doesn't get duped by some common peasant after all," Katara replied.

He hummed again. "I don't know if the messenger hawks can travel back in time, but I'll ask Uncle. He knows more than I give him credit for."

Too soon, Katara had to step back. She looked down at their hands joined for the last time until… well until next year. "I don't think I can say it," she admitted.

"Then don't. It's not goodbye," Zuko said with forced lightness. "It's 'see you soon.' Right?"

Katara nodded tightly, allowing herself to feel his thumb caress hers one last time. "See you soon, then," Katara said hoarsely. Their hands fell away and she stepped off of the patio, back to where Aang was waiting for her.


End file.
